This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/DE00/01029 which has an International filing date of Apr. 4, 2000, which designated the United States of America, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a module for connecting actuators and/or sensors. Preferably, the module includes a mounting plate with a recess for receiving a form-coded flat cable and a housing which can be swiveled onto the mounting plate. It further preferably includes a printed-circuit board and a contacting device with contact pins for establishing the contact of the flat cable. The housing is preferably made up of a housing base and a housing cover to form a unit which can be disassembled and in the interior space of which the printed-circuit board is removably held.
2. Background of the Invention
A known module of a generic type is disclosed by EP 0 821 434 A1. Placed or injection-molded in the housing base is a profiled seal, which ensures adequate sealing by pressing together of the housing base and housing cover. However, the housing base and housing cover can in this case only be disassembled by destroying them, i.e. they cannot then be used again.
The invention is based on an object of improving a module of the aforementioned type in such a way that its housing can be disassembled in a simple way without destroying it, while at the same time having a module whose sealing is ensured in accordance with protection class IP 67, for example.
This and other objects are achieved by a housing base and/or the housing cover being made in a box-like form. Further, in the contacted state of the flat cable, the two components are preferably pushed one into the other in such a way that their side walls overlap at least partially with positive engagement. In addition, between the housing base and the housing cover, a peripheral seal preferably lies, which becomes fully functional, i.e. the sealing of the housing cover with respect to the housing base, when the housing is screwed to the mounting plate.
Advantageous developments of the invention can be taken from the subclaims.